Smoke Wrings
by illusorygentleman
Summary: A one chapter addition to the One Night storyline where we catch up with what everyone has done since "Wishes" and what happens when two people love each other but not the same way. Rated M for language and content.


**So, this came out a lot faster than I ever anticipated, but the story flows pretty well. Still not a huge fan of the title that I decided on months ago, but I couldn't really come up with anything better. Coming back to the 'real' universe after doing the super story for so long kinda left me feeling a little out of sorts but I hope you all will still enjoy. I do not own any of the characters I didn't create, nor do I own the featured song.**

* * *

Out at the edge of the Shepherd property, in a large field, Nate's truck sat silently rocking ever so slightly. Nate had been wanting to bring Tori out here and do this for a while. He had a large blanket in the bed of his truck where they could just lay together and watch the stars. The smog of LA made it difficult at times to really get a good view, but tonight, the conditions were truly perfect.

Nate had his strong arms wrapped around the warm and soft Latina, smelling her hair every so often as he embraced her. Every so often he'd take her hand and draw things with their fingers in the sky. After what felt like an hour of laughing, playing, and cuddling, Tori's body stiffened a bit and she turned to face him.

The youngest Vega looked at him seductively, biting her lip slightly, and slowly began to unbutton his shirt, pushing her fingers inside to rub his undershirt-covered chest with each undone button. Once it was finally completely undone, he untucked it and tossed it out of the truck, along with his undershirt which she made quick work of.

Nate completely shirtless now, their hands began to explore each other's bodies, as their lips embraced over and over as tightly as humanly possible, as if they were desperate to feel every atom of the other's being. Tori's shirt practically disappeared, and Nate was happy to see that she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

His large hands drifted over her naked chest, sending goosebumps all over her perky breasts and tanned skin. Nate was always amazed by how her body seemed so small and fragile in his hands as if she was made of glass and he had to be extra careful with her.

Tori's body melted into his and they kissed even more deeply, their tongues battling for control in the other's mouth. Her petite hands played with the front of his pants, massaging his growing erection as it pressed against his jeans. Nimble fingers undid his belt, allowing her slim arms entry to her prize.

Nate could only subtly groan at her touch until he felt her hands actually touch his member, stroking him slowly. He let out a loud noise as his own hands explored her lower half, feeling a very moist heat through her pants. His beefy hands struggled with her pants button but he managed to undo them and slip her tight jeans down her legs. His fingers stroked her exposed inner thigh, toying with her cotton panties as she moaned and gave him eyes that screamed desire.

Tori pulled his pants and boxers down just below his thigh and pushed him away from her. She finished pulling her pants and underwear off and now sat before him completely nude. His mouth couldn't help but be agape every time he witnessed her like this.

She smiled a beautiful flash of teeth and got on her hands on knees, approaching his laying body. His thick member twitched as her face got closer, as if it was praying for her warm mouth to envelop it. Her pink tongue licked the tip softly before she began sucking on the head. Her mouth stretched to take more as his hands drifted to massage her deep brown hair as she serviced him.

Before long, she pulled off of it with a resounding pop and crawled further up his body, his saliva coated member rubbing against her skin. Tori knew exactly what she was doing as she rubbed both her breasts against the cock, further teasing him.

He looked up at her form as she began to sit up, so close to impaling herself, and he was overcome by her beauty. Her thin frame, flowing hair, tight body was highlighted perfectly by the moon behind her and he couldn't help himself.

"I love you," he said softly.

Tori moved her body up to allow him entry as she stared down at him, speaking seductively.

"I… think you need to wake up."

"What?" he said, sitting up.

"It's time to get up," his dad said, picking clothes up off the teen boy's bedroom. "You've got school in 30 minutes, and I'm pretty sure you need a shower."

Nate looked down at himself, embarrassed that his dad saw his morning wood, before covering up as his dad exited, shaking his head.

"Of course it was a dream," he muttered, crawling from his bed. "Tori doesn't really love me. I just want her to."

As the stocky teen prepared for school, his mind rested on his dream, and after working out some of those feeling sin the shower, he still felt terrible for when he'd see Tori. Things over the last few months since they spent the night together had been wonderful and they were constantly together, but there was still overwhelming dread. There was nothing wrong with her per se, but there was no question that their breakup was imminent.

Walking into Hollywood Arts, he took a deep sigh, and put forth his best face for all his friends.

* * *

"Are you kidding me?"

Jade West looked over at Tori as she was starting to make a scene in the Hallmark Gifts. "You alright there, Vega?"

"No, Jade, I'm not," the thin teen said through gritted teeth. "I have looked at every damn card in this whole birthday aisle and I can't find a single one that I can use for Nate. They are either way too kiddie or joke-y or they have 'love' in them, and the 'boyfriend birthday' section is like 6 cards and half of those are misfiled. His birthday is tomorrow!"

"Wow… you really need to chill out. Why am I even here again?"

"Because…" Tori began, her mouth moving as if an idea was about to come out but she ended up just turning around and looking at the cards again.

"Gotta say, Vega," Jade said, putting her hand on Tori's back, "When you told me you wanted me to help you with something after school, this was not what I had in mind."

"Oh, really?" Tori replied, smiling for the first time since they arrived at the mall shop. "And what was it that you were expecting, Jade?"

The truth was, lately Jade had really been craving Tori in a way she wasn't proud of. Ever since Freddie went back to Seattle months ago, she had felt empty physically, and luckily Tori was in a crisis of her own, unable to act on her feelings with Beck out of respect for Nate who she couldn't exactly force herself to be with. So they routinely found solace in the bodies of each other.

"Oh whatever could I mean," Jade said, doing her classic Tori imitation. "Because I certainly wasn't thinking about how much I looove being spanked."

"Jade!" Tori said, hissing through her teeth, worried someone might have heard them. "That was private. And I seem to recall you being the one who actually got off from the whole paddling and domination experience."

"The fact that you still call it paddling is so cute, Vega…"

The two girls smiled playfully as they reread the cards in front of them, hoping to find something workable.

"Oooh, how about 'I really like you but I don't love you and I'm too much of a pussy to break up with you.'"

"That's not a real card, and that's mean, Jade. Nate's a really nice guy who-"

"Has a big penis that you want inside you but he needs you to love him first?"

"No… I mean, yeah, kinda, but I mean… I don't know. I really care about him and he's the best boyfriend I could ever ask for. He's good looking, and funny, and nice, and I just… I wish I knew what I could do to feel the way about him that he feels about me."

"You still planning to go back to Beck once the wizard finally gives you that courage?"

"Ha ha, you are sooo funny Jade," Tori said sarcastically. "I don't know. I certainly have more chemistry with him than Nate and he seems to be much better than when we last dated." Tori and Beck had become closer friends, but never hung out while Nate was around. He had made a few moves on her and they had made out in his trailer once after some drinking, but she immediately regretted it and now actively avoided being alone with him.

"Well," Jade said, grabbing a card and peering through it. "You know how I feel about him, but do whatever you want. Personally I'd take your Cowboy Charming over that scummy asshole."

"Why am I not surprised?" Tori rolled her eyes and finally settled on a card that horses and a ranch scene on it and headed to pay for it. The two girls walked around the mall for a while longer, finally settling at a table to grab a drink while they discussed things.

"I don't want to break his heart if I'm not sure… he loves me and I could see myself with him, but he just doesn't excite me, you know? I mean, how did you and Freddie get started?"

"Well, we were at that camp last summer and we talked by the fire, and honestly, I think I just wanted him because Beck had Sam and I just wanted something similar. But he was nothing like Beck. It was like he saw right through me, and Beck and I worked because we leveled each other out, but there was a moment right before we spent that first night together that I honestly saw myself being better. And then we had sex… and it was like finding religion. The moment that happened I knew what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing."

"So you didn't fall in love until you had sex?"

"I mean… we kinda did. I don't know what happened first. Shit Vega, I was emotionally broken and he helped me and I really liked him, so I threw a complimentary screw his way, and here we are…" Jade looked down at the ring on her finger that Freddie had left for her. "I don't think this was an engagement thing, but I kinda feel like we could be there soon. Like, with him in my life, I can see myself in the wedding dress, and being a mom, and all that family stuff I never even considered before. I don't know what to tell you about your problems… but, for me, I just knew it when it happened."

"I hate that I'm actually jealous."

"You should be, Vega. You really should be."

There was silence as the girls drank their sodas, Jade looking upwards, her mind drifting to a 'best of' reel of her and Freddie, her body heating up and needing a release the she doubted her Skype session with Freddie would suffice. Meanwhile, Tori did little more than just look at the floor, feeling terrible for the position she was in. It certainly wasn't that she was un-attracted to Nate, but he just needed more of a commitment and feelings than she was really possible of giving him.

* * *

Over at Andre's, Nate and Robbie were sitting around him, hanging out and discussing the events of the day. Nate was going to hang out with Tori after school, but she was in a huge hurry to get off somewhere with Jade. He knew they were probably shopping for his birthday but he couldn't help but think there was something odd about how those two functioned together. Not that he had a problem with them being friends, and despite her bitchy demeanor, Jade had never been abjectly rude to him. But still, he could feel that something was wrong.

Robbie likewise was supposed to go see Trina, but since she went $200 over her phone limit, she was grounded until she could pay for it all back. Surprisingly, the response to them dating wasn't negative and the group had actually embraced Trina a lot more.

Andre really didn't have any life changes since the winter break, but he knew a big one was coming. While his friends were planning to go off somewhere for college, he knew he needed to stick around to take care of his grandmother, so community college it was for the time being.

"So… what should I do?" Nate openly asked after detailing his dream and his current thoughts on the state of his relationship.

"Honestly?" Andre said, narrowing his eyes as if some bad news was coming.

"Yeah," Nate said, taking a deep breath.

"I think you need to call it off. You're my boy and me and Tori are tight, but the girl's stringing you along. She doesn't want to break your heart, but I don't think she's really in this. But that's just my opinion."

"I think Andre's right," Robbie chimed in. "Tori is a really good friend but she does not like confrontation and hurting people. That's more of Jade's business."

"I know that's right," Andre said, nodding his head.

"So, Tori, who I am head over heels in love with is not in love with me, and never will love me, and I'm just supposed to say goodbye to her… I… I don't know if I got it in me to toss what I got out."

"I never said she would never love you," Andre said, looking Nate in the eyes. "Truth is, you breaking up with her might give her that boost to see things in a new light. No promises but it might work."

"I guess that's not a bad idea… but somehow doing that right before my birthday, when I know she's spent money and planned stuff… it just seems wrong. Like a slap in the face."

"I know, but the longer this goes on, the worse it's going to be. I mean, you're in way too deep for her as it is," Robbie said, stroking Nate's back awkwardly earning intense stares from both he and Andre.

"Anyway, I think you should go for it… tonight if possible," Andre said, hoping he was making the right call.

"Guess that settles it then. I think I got just the thing. Scares the hell out of me in every way, but I think she'll like it."

Nate flew off the bed and headed down the stairs to hop in his truck and head home to try and make a plan.

Robbie and Andre shared a look like they were ashamed of something, each of them wanting to blame the other more but neither one going for it. Andre pulled out his cell phone and made a quick call, squeezing his head between his thumb and forefinger.

"Hey man… me and Robbie did it… No, I'm not really happy with you, but I guess you were right… Tonight, probably… Alright… from now on, man we're even… yeah… alright, Beck… peace."

"We're terrible friends you know?" Robbie said, sighing and collapsing on Andre's bed. "We should have at least told Nate who came up with that idea."

"He wouldn't have listened… I guess this is just one of those things that's for the best…"

* * *

Tori was overwhelmingly surprised when Nate called her to go out for the night. She mentioned that it was sudden and tried to keep it together on the phone as Jade was nibbling on her inner thigh. Finally, he convinced her to come out which was a real bummer to Jade since she had been craving some physical intimacy all day.

The youngest Vega raced home to change into a nice dress, but she was afraid it might be too show-y since Nate was apparently taking her to this country bar that his dad always went to because they had karaoke there. She settled on a nice shirt and a semi-short skirt so that she would fit in and not look too 'glammy' as he always claimed she did when he took her to places.

He picked her looking very handsome; recently shaved and showered and he smelled amazing. Tori honestly enjoyed inhaling his Old Spice-laden scent more than she ever thought she would, and she always reacted the same way every time he wore it.

They exchanged a bit of small talk in the truck, but he seemed to be very secretive about his reasoning for taking her to this place. His hand was firmly on the wheel as if he had a lot on his mind, but the relaxed look on his face when he'd look at her made Tori feel like she had done something.

"So… what did you get me for my birthday?"

"I'm not telling you!" she joked. "You will have to wait a day and find out."

"You didn't do nothing extravagant, did you? I'm not gonna wake up and find some three ring circus in my bedroom that you and your friends put together?"

"No…" she said, honestly feeling embarrassed that she'd only gotten him a card so far. He was so hard to shop for and was so agreeable that she never really knew what he really liked and what he didn't. "But I guess you'll just have to wait and see…"

Her voice trailed off as Nate pulled in outside this place that Tori had never seen before, and come to think of it, this whole neighborhood was a bit of a mystery to her as well.

"Please tell me we are not in the ghetto, Nate… its dangerous out here and-"

"This place is safe… its just hidden on the outskirts of the city."

He hopped out of the truck and headed over to let her out, enjoying the touch of her hand as he helped her down. Nate held his hand to her back as he led her to the door and signaled a guy to come and get their drinks.

"They know you here?" she asked, in a hushed tone as everyone was staring at her.

"Not really… I came here a few times to drive my dad home when he had a few too many. They're all nice guys… just don't stare and we'll be fine."

True to his word, the eyes slowly left Tori and returned to whatever the patrons were looking at as they sat, drank, and ate the bar food. They began getting so invested in a conversation about what kind of animal was on the wall that they didn't notice the old guy at the edge of their table.

"Ocelot, just so you know," the guy said, surprising both of them. "Just about to shut the grill down, Nick… you two want anything?"

"Ummm…" Nate said, trying to figure out if he should correct his name or not. "It's Nate… but yeah, just a burger for each of us if that's alright. And a sweet tea for me and a…"

"Diet coke," Tori muttered, sinking in her seat a bit.

"Gotcha…" the guy said, before heading to the back.

"So what are we doing here… you're not going to make me get up there and perform for these guys are you? That's kinda weird… I mean if-"

"Calm down… I figured we'd just do a bit of people watching and just enjoy this dinner together."

Tori didn't expect much from the evening, but as their food came out, she was really pleased with the burger and it was cooked perfect for her even though she had left no instructions for they guy on what she liked. She even found herself enjoying the scenery after a while. But then Nate took a serious turn.

"Look… I was planning to get up there and sing tonight, and I need to know you're not gonna laugh at me."

Tori almost choked on her drink as she tried not to laugh. She'd never heard him sing before and to do it here seemed weirdly appropriate. "Umm… ok."

"I don't really fit into that school. I don't sing or dance, and the closest I've ever been to acting is faking football plays at my old school back in Texas. I'm just a normal guy who is way out of his depth being with someone out of his league and surrounded by some of the most talented people in the country. But I've been thinking about us for a while, and I think this is what I have to do to get over my fear."

"What fear? Nate, you're one of the most fearless guys I know… I'm sure you can handle some stage fright."

"Yeah…" he said, getting up from his chair. "That's not what I'm afraid of."

He said no more as he approached the small dimly lit stage. There was some applause as he took a deep breath and looked at Tori as the soft guitar music started ramping up.

"Well I won't make you tell me

What I've come to understand

You're a certain kind of woman and

I'm a different kind of man"

Nate's eyes were staring deeply at Tori as he sang, praying she'd understand what he was trying to say.

"I've tried to make you love me

You're tried to find a spark

Of the flame that burned and

Somehow turned to smoke rings in the dark"

The words were tough to actually say to her, but the song was certainly helping his nerves. The crowd seemed to enjoy though, as all eyes were on him, and it honestly looked like they were feeling everything he was.

"The loneliness within me

Takes a heavy toll

'Cause it burns as slow as whiskey

Through an empty aching soul

And the night is like a dagger

Long and cold and sharp

As I sit here on the front steps

Blowing smoke rings in the dark"

The smoking thing had thrown Tori for a loop, but she was so invested and moved by his words, she hardly had anytime to think. She had never imagined that Nate's singing voice would sound the way that it did. It was deep and soft, but it had this raw feeling that made her feel goosebumps.

"I- I- I know I must be going

'Cause loves already gone and

All I'm taking with me

Are the pieces of my heart

And all I'll leave are smoke rings in the dark"

His voice did not go nearly as high as he hoped it would at that part, but he powered through it and tried not to let it get to him before he finished. He could see that Tori looked extremely moved, and hoped she would understand.

"The rain falls where it wants to

Wind blows where it will

Everything on earth goes somewhere

But I swear we're standin' still

So I'm not going to wake you

I'll go easy on your heart

I'll just touch your face and drift away

Like smoke rings in the dark"

The way his words touched Tori's soul, she wasn't really sure how to act. This wasn't like anything she could have ever expected from him. He sang beautifully, and the words cut her to her very core. This was why, she realized, he wanted to come here. He couldn't just say it because he loves me too much… but he has to leave me. Tori began to cry a little bit as she looked into Nate's eyes as he began to tear up on stage as well.

"I- I- I know I must be going

'Cause loves already gone and

All I'm taking with me

Are the pieces of my heart

And all I'll leave are smoke rings in the dark"

There was thunderous applause as he finished and waved thanks to the crowd in front of him, but his eyes remained locked on the thin tanned girl whose cheeks had begun to shimmer with tears.

"I'm sorry," she choked out. "That was… I mean, do you…I…I never should have let this go like it did."

"You weren't alone in that," he said, suddenly aware that thirty people were now staring at the two of them. "Hang on."

Nate reached for his wallet as the barman came by, and he just waved the two of them off with a quick, "On the house."

The two teens headed outside where Tori quickly pulled away from him.

"Was that your way of breaking up with me?"

"No… I mean… kinda," he said, stumbling over his words. "I needed to tell you my feelings, and I just thought it would be easier just to back off and end this. I know you don't love me the way I love you and it's clear that it is taking a strain on both of us. I'm a wreck half the time, and you're spending all your free time with Jade."

Tori sighed and looked to the ground. "Look… I won't deny that we feel differently about each other, but we could-"

"Woman," Nate said, knowing that was a trigger for her to look at him, "I'm giving you an out. We could revisit this again if you change your feelings down the line, but it ain't right for me to be tying you down with me."

Tori was silent to this, and searched for the right way for this to go, but she couldn't find anything.

"You know I'm right."

"Yeah," she admitted, pulling closer to him and holding him tight in her arms, as if this was the last time she'd ever have the chance.

"We can still be friends, if you like." Nate hugged her back. "And we can still do stuff and hang out, and I might hate it, but you should maybe date more before we try and do this whole thing again and-"

"Just stop," Tori said before kissing his lips. "I'm not disagreeing with you… but I just want to enjoy this moment."

Tori's body was shaking so hard that Nate had to stop her a couple times to make sure she was ok.

"I'm… fine… I just… I don't really know what to say."

"Then let's not talk… let's just enjoy tonight and when tomorrow comes, we will just be friends. How's that sound?"

"That sounds… nice actually… Any idea what we could spend our last night doing before-"

Her pocket began to vibrate suddenly and Tori reached down the check the phone. Just seeing the first two letters, B E, told her every thing she needed to know. She opened the door tossed her phone into his truck before grabbing his shirt and pressing him against the truck as they kissed like it was the last chance they would ever have.

* * *

**My first real attempt at integrating a song into the story... hope it worked for everyone. I was up grading late one night and my Pandora played "Smoke Rings in the Dark," the Gary Allen song featured above and somehow that scene was painted and I went to work planning this one. Hopefully this will work as a nice bookmark for the main story and I will pick back up in a few weeks with the graduation/summer/college story(s). Thanks one and all for reading and I hope you enjoyed and will review/give feedback.**


End file.
